Facing crippling budget cuts and ever-increasing demands for student performance, California schools are finding creative ways to do more with less. One solution, according to more than 1,200 schools across the state, is the Study Island Web-based, high-impact, low-cost standards-mastery solution from Archipelago Learning, a leading subscription-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of education products.

This year alone, schools from Los Angeles, West Covina, Torrance, Upland and Rialto Unified School Districts, among others, have purchased Study Island or expanded their existing implementations to help address learning gaps and differentiate instruction for improved student outcomes.

“These contracts are clear evidence that Study Island is filling a growing need for flexible, cost-effective, all-digital supplemental education solutions that help improve the performance of students and teachers. Schools quickly realize a return on their investment through student engagement and performance in the classroom,” said Tim McEwen, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Archipelago Learning.

Baldwin Park Unified School District (USD), located in the central San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, started using various Study Island programs in its elementary schools to provide standards-based instruction, practice and assessment for students in math and reading. The district then expanded its use and offered selected Study Island programs to the middle/junior high schools and the high schools. To accelerate learning, many Baldwin Park schools encourage students to use the web-based educational programs outside the school day, and make Study Island available to students participating in programs before school and after school. In addition, several schools use Study Island’s parent notification system to simplify communication between teachers and parents.

“Study Island is a cost-effective solution that can be used in a variety of ways,” said Arturo Ortega, assistant superintendent of Baldwin Park USD. “Our subscription allows schools the flexibility to utilize it in the way that works best for them. One school may choose to use it only in the computer lab during regularly scheduled classes, while another may use it in the lab, before and after school, during recess and lunch, in the library, and in individual classrooms. We can maximize our usage of Study Island as much as we want and, for the price, we get a lot out of it. Plus, new capabilities and enhancements are always being introduced that make the product better and better.”

Fern Elementary School in Torrance also uses Study Island. Its principal, Valerie Williams, is very satisfied with the program and opted to renew their contract. “We use Study Island as an intervention only program, and because of its effectiveness in motivating students, will continue to use it,” said Williams. “One of Study Island’s benefits is its ability to allow students to study individually in standard test format or interactive game mode by providing engaging, self-paced instruction and positive reinforcement. Study Island also creates an atmosphere of healthy competition which motivates the students to study.”

The award-winning Study Island system is a single, integrated product that can save schools thousands of dollars annually by eliminating the need to purchase disparate systems for instruction, assessment, planning, and communication. With supplemental lessons and activities built directly from the California Content Standards and the Common Core State Standards, Study Island helps K-12 students master grade-level content and improve their performance on state tests. The online solution also includes customized assessments, engaging games, digital writing portfolios, college and career readiness tools, real-time reporting, productivity tools, a parent notification system, and an extensive professional development module with online video tutorials, lesson plans, and interactive whiteboard resources.